chatoyancy (sha-TOY-an-see)
Etymology: French, from present participle of chatoyer — to shine like a cat's eyes.
Adjective: 1. varying in color when seen in different lights or from different angles;
2. having a changeable luster or color with an undulating narrow band of white light;
3. the kind of wood I look for when creating a cutting board.
A web site is a poor way to experience a Workingwoods cutting board. Only when you can actually feel and see the quality of the woods and workmanship will you fully appreciate what sets these boards apart from the others. Mere pictures don't show the depth and iridescence in the grain...having nice chatoyancy. To me, there are few things as magical as the light that dances off a piece of deeply-figured wood. Although there are a variety of fine cutting and serving boards available from other sources (I even own some), I doubt you have seen any quite like these.
The most common remark I've heard about Workingwoods cutting boards is "It's so nice I wouldn't want to cut on it." To me, that's a great compliment, and as contrary as it might sound, that's one of my goals — to create a beautiful piece of wood that transcends a mere cutting board. These boards can be used as cutting boards, although if you’re like me, you’d likely do your day-to-day cutting and chopping on that plain cutting board you got at Ikea or Wal-Mart, and use a fancy one like these for the meal presentation. (Picture one of these boards with some sliced cheese, a few crackers, and perhaps a bottle of wine.) They make ideal wedding or housewarming gifts, and would be appreciated by nearly anyone who loves cooking and fine culinary accessories.
Each Workingwoods cutting board is hand-crafted one at a time from the
finest hardwoods I can find. (OK, the finest woods I can find...within
reason. I recently passed up some beautiful curly maple that was priced at
more than triple what I normally pay for excellent wood. It was pretty, but
not three times prettier.) After the wood is selected and cut to size, the individual pieces are glued with
an FDA-approved ANSI Type II water-resistant exterior glue and tightly clamped. This results in joints that are much stronger than
the wood itself.
After the glue has cured, each cutting board is sanded smooth in a 21-step
process, followed by a 48-hour soak in pharmaceutical grade mineral oil.
After another day of curing, they are polished with a blend of orange oil,
beeswax and carnauba wax. The finished board has a very slightly oily
surface — a sign the wood is well-protected.
With proper care (hand wash and immediately dry) and maintenance (a light
coat of mineral oil from time to time), this board will last a lifetime.
Care and feeding of a Workingwoods cutting board is described in more detail
here.
If you're interested in a Workingwoods cutting/serving board, please drop me a line describing the details of the board you want. In time, I intend to have several pre-made boards available from this website, but I'm glad to do custom orders, as long as they are within the capabilities of my shop and my skills.